First Nations & Pasifika XV's Seru Uru (R) reacts after scoring a try as British and Irish Lions’ Jac Morgan (L) holds the ball during the rugby tour match against at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne on 22 July 2025. Photo: AFP / William West
The first-ever First Nations-Pasifika XV team took the British and Irish Lions to the wire in Melbourne on Tuesday night, going down 19-24 in a tough battle.
It was history in the making from the start, with the combined selection playing against the Lions for the very first time.
Down 14-0 in the first quarter of the game, the First Nations-Pasifika team fought back to score two converted tries and claim a 14-all draw at halftime.
In the end, the Lions scored four tries against the local invitational side's three to claim the win and keep their unbeaten tour record so far, intact.
While the Lions were favourites to win the match, and looked like it was going to be that way, the First Nations-Pasifika XV turned things around mid-way in the first half.
Captain Kurtley Beale, supported by some of the best Pasifika and First Nations players in Fiji and Australia, had a decent game against the tourists.
He said it was a proud moment for the players and the team.
"Really proud of the boys. It's a real special week this week to get to connect, and come out together and represent our families and our cultures," he said.
"We came out and I thought we did what we said we were gonna do and that was to take the pressure to the Lions."
Beale said he was hopeful that the First Nations-Pasifika XV team can be retained for future international matches against teams that tour Australia.
"You can see how much heart the boys played with tonight," he said.
"There's so much talent here and I think it's a great thing for all the young First Nations and Pasifika players watching tonight, hopefully they can look at this jersey as something they can aspire to in future."
Player of the match and Tongan heritage player Charlie Gamble said it was tough game but the players fought hard for each other.
He said the players did not give up, despite the Lions leading early, and they kept going until the final whistle.
"You see out there the players were fighting hard for each other," he said.
"Down a couple of tries early but you saw the fight that we have, came back. Probably the first 10 minutes of that second half probably let us down but we didn't give up until the end.
"It's been awesome being a part of this and hopefully this team keeps on going into the future."
First Nations & Pasifika XV forward Rob Leota scores a try against the British and Irish Lions at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, 22 July 2025. Photo: AFP
The team was the first of its kind, with players from the First Nations people of Australia, Samoan, Fijian, Tongan, Maori and Cook Islands heritage.
Gamble was one of the key players for the FNP selection, working with 95-Test Wallaby Beale and current Wallabies squad members Taniela Tupou and Filipo Daugunu.
Other capped Wallabies players in the side included Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Darcy Swain, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Seru Uru and Lalakai Foketi.
Prop Mesake Doge and lock forward Mesake Vocevoce represented Fiji, while Fijian Drua winger Ponipate Loganimasi was part of the squad.
Triston Reilly, Seru Uru and Rob Leota were the try-scorers for the side.
Jamie Osborne scored two tries for the Lions, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe got the Lions tries.
A yellow card against Reilly gave the Lions a one-player advantage as the First Nations-Pasifika XV had to fight hard on defense for 10 minutes.
That saw the Lions claim their first try.
But Reilly intercepted a Lions backline move to score under the crossbar and in between the posts, and Beale's conversion saw them trail 14-7.
Then a good forward drive near the Lions' tryline saw Uru pick and dive over the line, Beale converting again to level terms at 14-all.
An intercept by Jack Debreczeni nearly gave the First Nations-Pasifika XV the lead, but the Lions drifting defence subdued the move near their line, taking the breather with a lot to talk about in the changeroom.
Osborne scored his second after the resumption of play before van der Merwe strolled over to extend the lead to ten with 17 minutes to go.
But the locals kept the pressure on and Melbourne-born Leota crashed through to close the gap again to five points.
Had the combined First Nations-Pasifika XV finished off another good run towards the Lions line in the last 10 minutes of the game, history would have taken another turn.
Lions captain for the match Owen Farell said they did not play as expected as their opponents pressured them throughout the match.
"Massive credits must go to the First Nations-Pasifika boys," he said.
"I thought they came after us tonight and they caused some trouble.
"It was a tough 60 minutes to be honest, that last half of the first half was difficult as well."
The Lions will now prepare to meet the Wallabies in their second test in Melbourne on Saturday.
